Deep in the Deep
by Shotgun Steve
Summary: Paul "Rich" Richards is a veteran mercenary of World War 2. He has grown tired of working for the highest bidder and decides to accept the offer to escape to a city under the ocean and lives in what he belives to be relitive peace. But paridise quickly turns to hell as civil war erupts and chaos takes control. Will Paul survive or will he become another corpse in the Deep. ON HOLD
1. Prolouge: Splintered Paridice

**A/N: Okay here we go with my first story...er ever. please feel free to say whatever you like about it but if you are criticizing then please explain why so I can try and improve in the future. **

**Oh and since some law demands a disclaimer here we go: I do NOT own bioshock or any of the charecters and themes asociated with it. They are the property of 2K and other makers of the franchise. The only thing i own are OC's. You watch that wont be good enough for them.**

**Anyway on with the story. **

Prologue: Splintered Paradise

Happy New Year 1959. That was what the fancy neon signs said. That was the reason for this party. That was the reason everyone was drinking. Well everyone except me. I was drinking for a different reason. My name is Paul Richards and I am….was a mercenary. With this thought I looked down at the photograph in my hand. Our squad was one of the best groups for hire during World War 2 and the allies knew it. That was until a mission during the battle of the bulge. Mercenaries were not an acknowledged part of the American effort but an important one. We were asked to take out a small Nazi base. This would allow a strike team to get past the front line and cause chaos for the enemy. We weren't told the rest of the details of the long term plan and, as the mercenaries we were, we didn't care as long as we got paid. The mission seemed easy enough, but when we got there everything went to hell.

It was a cold, cloudy night and fresh snow littered the area. I laid in the dark, in the trees borderline, scouting the patrols. Any gap could be crucial to allow us entry into the base. Beside me lay our little groups resident sniper, Dimitri Tesla. The subtle crunching of snow behind us alerted us to others approaching. We didn't need to look to know who it was.

"Report" said a deep voice.

I looked over my shoulder to see the rest of the squad. Helen Turner, the demolitions expert, Rodrigo Gomez, the infiltration specialist and last but not least, Lucas Kehler, our leader.

"See that guard on the catwalk? Soon he will walk around to watch the other side. From there we have about 30 seconds to run up to the side of the base." replied Dimitri. The rest of the squad looked at the distance we would need to cover.

"That's not a lot of time. Why can't I just fire a bazooka to start things of?" Good old Helen always appreciated excessive force.

Lucas chuckled at that comment. "Don't worry, you'll get your chance." His tone turned serious. "Domitri, you stay out here and keep us covered. When we reach the wall, Helen will set up explosives to breach. Rich, keep her covered. Gomez, you and I will sneak around back. When we give the signal, Helen will blow the charges and keep them distracted with sniper support from Dimitri. Rich will move inside and clear the building. We'll take them out from behind as quietly as possible." We all nodded in agreement and prepared to move. I began to get an odd feeling in my gut. Not the normal sort before a fight, I was used to that, but the sort that said something wasn't right about this mission.

"Window's open. Move, move, move." On Dimitri's word, we ran from our cover and moved to the side of the base.

When we reached it Helen began to make preparations to "open" an entry in the side wall while I kept an eye out for any opposition. Once that was set we waited for the signal from Lucas. Helen decided to break the silence. "So Rich, if you don't mind me saying, you seem quiet even for you." She turned to look at me. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just…" I would have to be carful how I said this. I had a…shall we say reputation as the squad's pessimist after all.

"What?"

"Don't you get the feeling that something is wrong with this mission? I mean why send mercenaries for such a crucial task when even the Americans can complete it without many casualties?"

At this comment Helen pretended to look offended and said "What do you mean "even the Americans can complete it? I happen to be an American, remember?"

I couldn't help but smile at that. "That just means you know what I'm talking about. But the point is that there's something they aren't telling us. I just hope it doesn't prove to be fatal."

"Here we go again"

"Oh come on. We're mercenaries. They don't care about us. If we win, they take the glory. If we lose, it never happened."

Helen was about to respond when the radio came to life. "Helen, Rich, we're in position. Blow the charge."

Helen picked up her radio and responded. "Solid copy, moving now. You ready Rich."

"Always."

She pulled out her detonator and showed a wide smile. "This is my favourite part." With that she activated the explosive and the chaos began. We quickly rushed into the gap, me with my shotgun and Helen with her machine gun. The Nazi's were quick to respond and before we knew it we were pinned down by the guard towers. That was until Dimitri shot the gunners. With the out of the way Helen was able to suppress the enemy with continues fire.

"Go, I've got you covered."

Not wasting the chance, I sprinted to the side and barged through the door into the first building. As sods law would have it, I barged right into an un-expecting guard. Before he could recover, I raised my gun at him and pulled the trigger. The result was gruesome as his insides flew out his back. The only thing I could think of at the sight and the noise outside was how long a night this would be.

To say Domitri was disappointed at the enemies resistance would be an understatement. These were the "skilled" soldiers that threatened Europe. This was the fascist base that had the Americans scared. This wasn't worth shit. He reloaded his rifle and was about to kill another fascist when he heard a branch break behind him. He had just enough time to turn around. He had just enough time to see three Germans aiming their guns at him. He had just enough time to register the sound of gunfire. Then his world went black.

That gut feeling I had was getting worse and worse the further I went into the building. There were just too many Nazi's for a base of this size. Obviously Helen noticed this too based on the radio chatter.

"Dimitri, something's not right here. Can you see anything long range?" No response came. "Dimitri?" Still silence. "Boss, we've got a problem. Dimitri's not responding."

"Understood. I will check on him. Everyone else continue the mission."

"Yes boss"

"No problem"

"You got it"

I knew it. This was a setup. No, I can't think about that now. I have to stay focused. I proceeded down the hall I was in. there was a turn right and a closed door. Best clear the room first. As I touched the handle gunfire exploded to my right. I turned around and saw a guard with his gun aimed at me. But instead of firing, he fell to the ground. Behind him was none other then Rodrigo Gomez, smoking gun in hand.

"Thanks for the help" I said slowly, still shocked at how close death came.

"Anytime, just keep you eyes open." He replied in his deep voice.

With that he opened a door further down the hall. Or rather he started to turn the handle before a shotgun blast came through and blew his chest open.

"Rodrigo!" I shouted on instinct even though I knew it was too late. I stood by the doorway, since the door was destroyed.

A quick peek told me what I was up against. Two hostiles were in the room, one behind a cabinet on the left and another behind the desk at the back. That's the one that killed Rodrigo. I grabbed a grenade of my belt, pulled the pin, and threw it around the doorway. A bang followed by screams told me it did something. When I looked in the room I saw one was dead to say the least. Let's just say that only that section of the wall was red. The other was holding his leg which had about four pieces of shrapnel in it. Without pity, I took out my revolver and shot him in the head. It was a mercy after what he did. No, if I start thinking like that then I will turn into the thing that I am trying to destroy. With a sigh I turned to Rodrigo's corpse and knelt beside him.

"Shit." That was all I could say as I looked into his dead eyes, wide with shock. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you pal. But know he didn't get far." I closed his eyes, the others need to know.

"Lucas, Helen, Rich here. Gomez is dead."

Lucas could not believe it. A simple mission resulted in one man, one friend, dead and another not responding. It would be best to find Dimitri and get everyone out. Fuck the war effort. All of a sudden he saw a figure move out of the tree line. He felt relived. He thought he found Dimitri. He was wrong. Suddenly he felt a pain in his left shoulder and fell to the ground as more and more figures emerged from the tree line. When he realized that he wouldn't survive he did the only thing he could.

I had just finished clearing the building when my radio came to life. "Lucas here. Enemy reinforcements are inbound. GET OUT! GET ARGH!" the feed went silent and my blood ran cold.

"Helen, did you get that."

"Yes and those reinforcements are here. There's too many."

"I'm coming back. When I get there I'll cover you. Get inside and we will funnel them in."

"Okay."

I ran to the entrance as fast as I could. When I got there I saw Helen fighting about thirty enemies. "I'm in position. Go."

With that Helen ran towards me faster then I thought possible. I did my best to cover her but like she said there were simply too many to aim at. She almost made it when she took a bullet in the back. Her outstretched hand fell in mine and I dragged her in and sealed the door. When that was done, I felt for a pulse only to find none.

Well, that was it. The squad's dead. There are too many hostiles. This is my end. Best make it a good one. I was about to charge out when I heard rumbling. This was soon followed by gunfire. Confused, I cautiously opened the door and looked outside. Americans were storming the base. Most people would be glad to be alive, but to me it confirmed my suspicions. They knew this was a trap and used us to spring it.

With a shake of my head, I came back to the present. That was the job the ended my mercenary career. The worst part was I didn't get paid by the smug little prick. He claimed that I didn't deserve to be paid since it was America that conquered the base. And that I should be grateful they saved me. I just stormed out, but not before leaving a "present" for him like Lucas taught me. When I was clear I blew up his office and disappeared below the radar.

Apparently I didn't disappear enough. A few years later I was contacted by a man named Andrew Ryan. He claimed to be building a city free from government and God, and offered me a place since I was betrayed by a government. I decided I could use a good laugh so I played along. Imagine my surprise when I first saw Rapture. I mean, it's a city at the bottom of the ocean for crying out loud. I became a citizen and never looked back since. That was eleven years ago.

Rapture truly was a marvel of mankind. It showed ingenuity and ambition, but that was not all it represented. Being free of government laws meant it could focus on the most important thing of all. Progress. It didn't take long for the local eggheads to discover a mystery "drug" (for lack of a better term) called ADAM. By using ADAM it was possible to rewrite your genetic code and be what you wanted to be. Of course, this unhindered progress came with risks. If you used too much ADAM then you became addicted just like any other drug and the genetic changes weren't gentle, in fact, more then once people went insane due to the pain from the procedures. That was why I avoided it as much as possible. The only upgrade I got was something called "Booze Hound". This allowed me to drink away my worries all I wanted without a need to care about liver damage.

Rapture wasn't perfect, far from it. First you had a psychiatrist called Sophia Lamb trying to gain control of Rapture in a political battle against Ryan. Alongside this you had Frank Fontaine smuggling and making deals with the surface (or parasites as some of the other citizens called them). I broke up that smugglings ring a while back at Ryan's request. But then Ryan took control of Frank's business, Fontaine Futuristics, and now you have someone called Atlas beginning to make people restless and want to overthrow Ryan by force. Rapture is far from perfect, but it is better then war.

As if right on cue, an explosion came from upstairs and some mysterious men rushed down the stairs, tommy guns in hand. Without a second thought I left over the bar I was at and pulled out my revolver just as they started shooting, killing anyone they could see. I quickly stuck my head out and killed one of them then ducked back in as they turned their attention on me. I was about to stick my head out again when a neon sign fell and hit me on the head. As my vision blurred and faded I could only think four words.

Here we go again.

**A/N Okay now that thats out the way i will explain that this story will take place from the civil war before bioshock 1 and carry on until Rapture's fall at the end of bioshock 2. I will update as soon as I can.**


	2. Chapter 1: The Game Begins

**A/N: Here is chapter 1. Ulike the prologue, this chapter has some direct involment from cannon characters so please tell me if i screwed them up.**

Chapter 1: The Game Begins

Deep inside Rapture's core, separated from the rest of the city, was an office. If the size of the office was not enough to amaze visitors then the monument to Ryan Industries would do so without question. The office was mostly open space except for a polished oak table and chair (complete with accessories) by the entrance. On the other side of the office was another door, to where it lead was only known by the offices owner. The man himself was in the centre of the room enjoying a game of miniature golf. He was in his mid 40's and wore a brown suit. He had brown hair, blue eyes and a neatly combed moustache. He was Andrew Ryan, the founder and leader of Rapture.

At that moment a tall, well-built man with gray hair and a Rapture Security outfit, holding one of Raptures many citizen files came into the office. He seemed unimpressed by the office, but then again he had seen it enough times recently for all the grandeur to ware of.

"You wanted to see me Mr. Ryan?"

Ryan stopped playing his game and towards his guest. "Ah, Sullivan. Tell me, what are the results of the Kashmir incident?"

"Well it turns out Atlas was behind the attack, but you already knew that didn't you?" Ryan just nodded his confirmation and signalled Sullivan to continue. "There were seventeen dead and twice as many injured."

"That seems surprisingly low if Atlas wanted to send a strong message."

"There's a reason for that sir." He handed Ryan the file he was carrying. Without delay Ryan opened it a saw a picture of a man with burn scars running along the left side of his face.

He read the file aloud. "Paul Richards, also known as Rich. British, 38, black hair, brown eyes. Served as a mercenary during World War 2 from 1940 until 1944. Joined Rapture Security in March 1948." He looked up at Sullivan. "I seem to recall it was you who recommended him."

"Yes sir. He has proven loyal over the years as well. He was with me in Timmy H's interrogation and he was a part of the squad that took down Fontaine."

"Was he the one who said Fontaine wasn't dead?" Ryan remembered the near panic that that statement caused.

"Yes. He believed that the lack of a positive identity meant that we couldn't be certain. What he didn't consider was that a lot of bodies weren't identified." Ryan seemed troubled at this mindset, something Sullivan noticed. "Don't let it bother you sir. He was always a pessimist, even before the war. But he proved useful once again at the incident."

"How?"

"He momentarily distracted the attackers and even killed one. This allowed a lot of people to escape and bought time for me and the team to get there."

_This might be a suitable candidate after all_. Ryan thought. "Does he have any splicing problems?"

"No, but he does have some minor splicing in place."

"What sort of splicing?"

"Like many people, he was scarred by the war mentally; as a result he has a drinking problem. That is why he had the Booze Hound tonic. As his boss, I can tell you that he has absolutely no trouble keeping this under control when he has a job to do and he is open to further splicing as long as it is beneficial from his view point and not extensive of course."

_Interesting._ Ryan looked deep in thought."Is he suitable for our needs?"

"He has previous combat experience and, even though he is a pessimist, he is generally the good kind. He doesn't risk lives needlessly, in this war that is a must if we want to save Rapture."

Ryan sighed and looked at the floor. "Has it really come to war?"

"We both know the answer to that sir."

"Very well, send for him. Now onto the Lamb case…"

Bored. That was the best way to describe how I felt. Bored and annoyed. Bored because it had been a week since the attack and I was still in medical. Annoyed because there wasn't actually anything wrong with me. Sure, I had a new scar where the sign hit and sure, I still get headaches. But they will go as soon as I get away from that twit Steinman. He comes in about three times an hour and offers to quote "fix that broken face and make it something truly beautiful" unquote. I'll fix his bloody face soon.

"Hey Rich." I looked up to see my partner Noba Sato. He was from Japan and he matched how the Japanese were shown in the war. That is, he was short and extremely fierce in a fight. He came down here with his parents when they left Japan to escape for a better future.

"Good to see you. I thought it would be Dr. Steinman, he hasn't been in for the past half an hour."

He just chuckled and sat down beside the bed. "Don't worry about him. He's too busy playing "artist surgeon" with that McClintock woman."

"Poor lass, I might need to break her out."

"Hey, if anyone's going to break out a damsel in distress it should be a ladies man like me."

I was about to respond when one of the nurses came in to talk to me. "Mr. Richards, I was told to tell you that you are clear to leave as soon as you like."

I almost shouted "Yes, finally."

"But there's one condition."

"Of course there is."

"Ryan wanted you to report to his office as soon as possible."

"The big man himself? What did he want?"

"You'll have to ask him. Good day Mr. Richards" the nurse turned around and started to leave but was stopped by Noba.

"So what time does your shift end babe?"

"Get lost creep." With that the nurse stormed out.

All I could do was look down and shake my head. "Shot down before you could take of. What a shame."

"Whatever, one day that line will work."

"Come on. We better see what Ryan wants."

We took a bathysphere to Hephaestus and carried on to Rapture Control. It was then that Noba broke the silence. "Did you hear what happened at Dionysus Park?"

"No. Should I have?"

"The entire place is flooded. According to the press, it was some cult related incident."

That's disturbing. If one place can flood why can't the entire city? Best keep such thoughts to myself. "The park used to be Lamb's territory, correct?" Noba nodded. "It was probably her cult. You know, that "Rapture Family" group? I'm glad that bitch got locked up."

We arrived at Ryan's office and was greeted by Sullivan. "Rich, glad you're up and about. Hello Noba." We both nodded in response. "Ryan's inside. Noba, come with me. I have a new job for you."

"Sure thing boss. Talk to you later Rich."

They left and I entered the office. Ryan was sat at his desk reading a file. There was another man stood beside him that I didn't recognise. It was the mystery man that spoke first. "He's here chief."

Ryan looked up at me. "Ah, Mr. Richards. I was just going over your file. I have bought you here for some important business, but first I would like to introduce Augustus Sinclair."

He stepped forward and held out a hand. "Charmed, I'm sure."

I shook his hand, but didn't respond. Sinclair reminded me of the sort of man that would sell his own mother for a profit. I turned to Ryan. "What exactly is the problem?"

"The attack on the Kashmir Restaurant was a declaration of civil war by Atlas. As one of the few people here with combat experience, I need you to be one of my lieutenants and lead the citizens of Rapture against him."

"You can't be serious? I left the surface to escape from war. Why would I fight in one now?"

"Because if Atlas wins he will take away the peoples freedom, then your reasons for coming here will mean nothing." Damn. He has a good point. I don't want to fight. But I can't let my world be destroyed, can I?

With a sigh I gave him my answer. "If I'm going to do this then I will need a team and some decent equipment."

It was then that Sinclair entered the conversation. "That's where I come in. I am the head of a plasmid company called Sinclair Solutions. We specialise in… "home defence" products."

"Splicing? Please tell me this is a joke."

"In this war it is who controls ADAM that will win. But even that won't matter if we don't use it."

"Just try to think about it as an investment to your survival. The front line is a dangerous place after all." Yes, Sinclair would defiantly sell his mother.

"Fine, but I'm only getting one plasmid and I choose which. If I splice too much I won't be able to help anyone."

"Excellent. Your team is waiting at Siren Ally, as is your first assignment."

"Understood sir." I turned to leave but was stopped in my tracks a Ryan spoke again.

"One more thing. Sophia Lamb has escaped from Persephone."

THAT was certainly not good. I instantly turned around. "How the hell did that happen? What is the bitch planning? Do you need me to take her out?"

Ryan just held up a hand to calm me down. "First, she started a revolt and overthrew the warden and guards. Second, we don't know. What we do know, however, is that she is securing Persephone and has stolen a gatherer for unknown reasons. Third, she can't do any harm from where she is. If you see her in the field, kill her. Otherwise, Atlas is your only concern."

"A gatherer?"

"You know them as Little Sisters. They were used to produce ADAM, but thanks to the war they are repurposed to collect it from dead citizens as well."

"If that's the case, you need some protection for them."

"You're advice is noted. Now I believe you have a job to do."

I turned around and left without a word, forgetting common courtesy. Why has Lamb shown up now? Why steal a Little Sister? What does she want? No point thinking about questions I can't answer. Right now I need to focus on Atlas, and if Lamb shows up I will kill her. Then it won't matter what she is planning.

When Richards was out the room Sinclair turned to Ryan. "May I inquire as to why you didn't tell him about the protectors, or the fact that the sister that she stole was her daughter?"

"He will learn about the protectors soon enough. What it is important he doesn't know is that most of the people he sent to Persephone became those protectors, against their will no less. As for the sister? He hates Lamb. If we tell him enough of the truth to convince him that Lamb is a danger to Rapture, then he will not give her a chance to turn others against us." Ryan pulled out a new file and began to read, this one containing everything known about the mysterious Atlas. "Now go. I want you to research new plasmids that can help in this war."

"Sure thing chief. I will tell you when we have a new product." With that Sinclair departed leaving Ryan to his thoughts.

_Now the pieces are in place and everyone is ready. Me and the loyalists who seek to preserve what Rapture stands for. Atlas and the parasites who would enslave us all for their amusement. Lamb and the family who want to create utopia, and then destroy it by exposing it to the surface. Let the great game begin and let the great chain guide us to the future._

**A/N: This chapter was quite easy to write since I had planned out what I wanted to happen and knew how to go about it. Some chapters will not be this easy so I was wondering if you wanted a reguler update like once a week. This would allow me to stockpile on chapters and you will know when to expect new ones. the alternative is that I continue to update whenever a chapter is complete. this may be fast, like this update, or slow depending on how well the chapter turns out and if I don't get the dreaded writers block. Be sure to let me know hich you would prefer.**


	3. Chapter 2: New Team, New Toys, Old Tale

**A/N: Based on an amazing 1-0 vote (seriously I'm proud of it) this story will be updated weekly, starting today.**

Chapter 2: New Team, New Toys, Old Tale

So this is how it begins? With a cultist and a revolutionary? These were two of the questions running through my head as I thought about the war. I was on my way to the security offices. I didn't care what Ryan and that Sinclair fellow said. If I'm going to fight a war then I'm going to do it my way. Minimal splicing, minimal politics. Just me, my guns and my team. No, my team died on the service because of a set up. I refuse to let the same thing happen to this lot.

It was then that I arrived at my office in Rapture Security and decided to look at the files on my soon to be teammates. Sinclair was kind enough to provide them once we left Ryan's office. He might be useful after all. I opened the first file and was surprised to see a familiar face, Noba Sato. Looks like Ryan wants me to feel comfortable in my new role, and he intends to use Noba to do it. I admit that it would be nice to have someone that I can trust on the team. But if our roles are so similar, then why wasn't he in Ryan's office with me? Something Ryan said that he and the others didn't know? Word of Lamb's escape would spread soon enough without me so that can't be it. It must be Sinclair. His offer of free splicing must only be reserved for Ryan's "elite". That makes sense, if word of that spread to those with ADAM addiction then more people would rally to Atlas because Ryan "isn't looking after there interests". Anyone would think that they all expected to win in Rapture's dog eat dog world. No matter, I don't intend to splice more then absolutely necessary and I certainly don't intend to make my job harder by giving Atlas or Lamb more followers.

I moved onto the second file. The picture was of a young woman. Despite the quality, it was still clear that she held a sparkle in her eye. The sort of sparkle that refuses to let a situation depress her. The information read:

Name: Sofia Brutus

Gender: Female

Nationality: Italian

Age: 25

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Blue

Bio: Sofia Brutus is the younger sister of Angelo Brutus. After her brother's attitude saw both their parents in concentration camps and them on the run, she proved to be resourceful and ingenious in their attempts to survive until Mussolini was removed from power. When the war was over they learned that both their parents were killed in the camps. Both, Sofia and Angelo left for Rapture to escape from their past. Sofia, however, never let her past change her optimistic attitude, nor did it dampen her ability to look on the bright side of any situation.

Ha. She sounds like the polar opposite to me. Where she refuses to let her past shape her, I'm practically imprisoned by mine. Where she sees the best in a situation, I see the worst. But still, it would be nice to know that there is someone who will keep our spirits up, and her resourcefulness could prove useful in a tight spot.

The next file showed the picture of a middle aged man. What was surprising was that he was almost as wide as he was tall, but even in the picture it was clear that it was all muscle. His face had a swollen mutation of skin underneath his right eye, a symptom of splicing. The Information read:

Name: Angelo Brutus

Gender: Male

Nationality: Italian

Age: 31

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Hazel

Bio: Angelo Brutus (commonly known as Brute) is the older brother of Sofia Brutus. As a teenager, he was a very outspoken person when it came to expressing hate for Mussolini and the Nazi's. This saw both parents in concentration camps and him on the run with his sister. Contrary to popular belief, it was his sister that provided all the ideas for their survival. Angelo just provided the muscle. When the war was over, he learned of his parents death's and decided to follow the rumours of a "haven city". When he first tried to join Rapture he was initially rejected, but he kept trying. It was only when he volunteered to test prototype tonics that he was allowed to enter the city with his sister. When asked why he was willing to do this, he stated "I don't care what happens to me, as long as Sofia is safe." It was these prototypes that resulted in his current physical appearance, as well as his inhuman strength, endurance and resistance to harm. No ADAM addiction has yet been reported. However, he still states his opinions freely and is very blunt in his use of language.

That was interesting. I would be good to have a heavy hitter in case we run into barricades and the like. He also appears to be willing to sacrifice for what he believes in. Most people would consider his blunt speaking to be rude, but I think it will be nice to have someone who doesn't beat around the bush, as long as he provides reasons for his beliefs of course.

The last file showed the picture of a middle-aged woman. She had straight shoulder length hair, but that was about as distinguishing as her features appeared to get. Her file read:

Name: Alice Morgan

Gender: Female

Nationality: American

Age: 36

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Green

Bio: Alice is the daughter of a self-made business man. As a child, she was taught a firm understanding of business as well as not to let effects of negative events show. To show how extreme this is, her father referred to World War 2 as a "minor setback" after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour destroyed a large portion of his business assets in the area. When she learned of Rapture, she saw it as an opportunity to test what she had learned and decided to depart. Her parents gave her enough start up capital to create the Adonis Luxury Resort, this quickly lead to a build up in her own personal finances. When plasmids and tonics first came out, she was one of the few to embrace them. Her splicing is extensive and includes a wide verity of tonics and plasmids including Electro Bolt and Incinerate. She has also proven to be resilient to side effects, as the only tell of her splicing is an unnaturally pale skin. She is always looking for a challenge and is not beyond implementing tactics that would seem immoral to others. Despite (or perhaps because of) her harsh upbringing, she is a very sociable person and will gladly interact with complete stringers.

An American? Ryan thinks it's a good idea to place me with an American after they… No, not all Americans are alike. I should give her a chance. Who knows, she might be one of the best people I've ever meet. Then again… NO, STOP THINKING LIKE THAT. Let's just stop and look at the facts. She has extensive splicing which means a wide range of abilities. That means she's adaptable. Her file also says she's sociable, which means she shouldn't cause any trouble for the team. So to put it basically, the only trouble I should have with her is my general distrust of Americans. Fifteen years. Fifteen years and the only American I've trusted is Sullivan.

It was then that I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I turned to see the very person I was just thinking about.

"Shouldn't you be in Siren Ally?"

"I just came down to read the files on the team, and to collect my gear."

"Don't bother. If you're going to fight a war then you'll need the best. Come with me."

I got up and we left the office. "Where are we going sir?"

"The armoury. We got a new shipment of weapons, and I wanted you and Noba to get first pick. So what do you think of the team you've been given?"

"Noba is someone I trust, so it will be good to have him on the team. Angelo and Sofia look like they will work well together since one is strong and the other is smart. Alice looks adaptable, but can I trust her?"

Sullivan stopped walking and turned to face me, anger evident in his eyes. "DON'T let your prejudice against Americans get the best of you. There is too much at stake for such trivial matters."

Great, time to eat my words. I may not trust Americans, but I'm downright scarred of Sullivan when he's mad. "Sorry sir, it won't be a problem."

"Good." We carried on towards the armoury. "Besides, you get on well enough with me."

"Yeah, but it took five years for me to stop calling you "the American" if I recall correctly."

"Just give her a chance, she may surprise you. Here we are." We arrived at a large door which led to the armoury. Sullivan inserted the code and the door opened revealing entire shelves stacked with guns, grenades, mods and even a couple of tonics (being in the security service has it's perks, if you can call some free tonics a perk).

In the centre of the room examining a crossbow was Noba. "Can you believe this Rich? All that time we've been using crap equipment, and we had these lying in wait. This war might be beneficial after all."

I just smiled. As a "senior" member of the service I always had access to the armoury, but I wasn't about to tell him that. I walked over a began to examine a tommy gun. One thing I did agree with Noba on was that the equipment low ranking officers used was indeed crap.

On the outer edge of the city, hidden beneath Fontaine Futuristics, was Rapture's disposal point for "undesirable" individuals. It overlooked a trench that sank into the deepest part of the Atlantic and would be sent down into them if the place ever went rouge. A plan that had failed as recently the place went under "new management". It was Persephone Prison, and it was now the stronghold of Sofia Lamb. Lamb was in her early 30's and stood at 6 feet tall. She had blue eyes and blonde hair. Beside her stood a seven year old girl with glowing, yellow eyes. This was her daughter, Eleanor, and she was a Little Sister. At the moment, Eleanor was being examined by one of her mother's most loyal servants. A Scientist named Gil Alexander. Lamb and Alexander were trying to reverse the conditioning that turned and ordinary girl into a little sister.

"Can it be done?"

"We should be able to reverse the psychological conditioning over time, as well as remove the side effect on her appearance. But, due to the way it is implanted, we will not be able to remove the ADAM slug that protects her from addiction as she produces and gathers ADAM without killing her." Alexander said the last with a hint of guilt. He was one of the leading minds that lead to the creation of the Little Sisters, alongside Dr. Tenenbaum.

"Just do what you can for her. For now we have all the time we need while Atlas and Ryan destroy each other." Lamb quickly changed the topic to a less personal matter.

"What exactly do you intend to do about the conflict? We can not move freely while they tear Rapture apart for control."

"We don't need to move freely. I already have the trust of Grace in Pauper's Drop. All we need to do is allow them to weaken each other while we gather support. When both sides are weakened we can gain control through influential people in the war, such as local governors."

"Yes, that will result in the least amount of bloodshed for the faithful. I will begin planning a rehabilitation schedule for Eleanor. Good day Dr. Lamb." Alexander left to go back to Fontaine Futuristics and Lamb moved to began gathering support in Persephone.

It had been the best part of an hour since I left the armoury with Noba. We had just arrived at Siren Alley and was about to meet the rest of the team. Truth be told, I was nervous. Sure I read the files, but it is completely different to meet someone face to face for the first time.

Noba then broke the silence. "So what do you think of the new team."

Why is everyone asking me that? "Each of them have their own uses. Sofia is smart and resourceful, Brute is built like a tank and Alice is adaptable. If you want the details, ask them yourself."

We entered the area where the rest of the team was waiting. They were everything I expected. What I didn't expect was Noba's instant attempt to charm Alice.

"Hey hot stuff."

To her credit, Alice played along and leaned forward. "Hotter then you know." It was then that her skin burst into flames. Noba jumped back in surprise while Bute and Sofia just laughed.

"Perhaps I should have mentioned that she has several plasmids at her disposal, including Incinerate."

"Yeah, that would have helped."

Alice deactivated her plasmid and her skin healed. She then handed me the file on our first mission. "Here you go, sir."

I was surprised by how friendly she seemed. I can think about it later, for now there's a job to do. I opened the file and read it. This was… unexpected.

"Alright listen up. We need to investigate the local hotel called the Pearl. It has recently become more commonly known as the Pink Pearl due to the fact it is also serving as a brothel."

Brutus then spoke. "Are we to clear them out?"

"No, Ryan doesn't care what they do as long as they aren't supporting Atlas. We believe that there are several of Atlas' top commanders frequently visiting the place. We are to see if we can find any link to their operations. We will be supported by another team that should be here soon. Remember, this is an investigation not a clean up. That means you do not fire unless fired upon." I turned to Alice "Is that clear American?"

Alice was taken aback by this. "Yes sir. If you'll excuse me, I will get ready." Alice quickly left and Sofia followed. Apparently they knew each other.

Brute turned to me. "What the hell was that about?"

I sighed and was about to answer when Noba spoke. "Rich was betrayed by Americans during the war. He hasn't trusted them since."

"Even so, that was out of line."

Perhaps Brute might be able to help me with this issue. Yes that would work. "I know. Look, you're file says that you stand up for what you believe in. That's why if I step out of line like that again, I want you to just whack me round the back of the head."

Brute looked confused and was silent for a few seconds. "Is that a real order?"

"Yes."

He smiled. "I might enjoy this job after all."

At that moment Alice and Sofia arrived bringing another group with them. Team 2 had arrived.

One of the group stepped forward and introduced himself. "Fred Burns, Team 2 leader." Fed was a young man around 20. Hell, he was even younger then Noba. I just hope he isn't stupid like some of the more enthusiastic people during the war.

"Let's get this done."

We all moved into the entry way leading into the Pearl. It was at that point I told everyone to be carful since we didn't know what to expect. One guess who insisted that there was no danger.

Fred stepped into the main reception and shouted out. "Okay people, we are here to see if you have been helping Atlas. Just stay out our way and no one will get hurt." Some people came out of their rooms and stood on each floors balcony. "See? Just tell them your in charge and they will do anythi…" He never finished his sentence as some of the people opened fire with concealed revolvers. Two rounds hit Fred in the chest and another caught one of his team in the throat.

In an instant the whore house turned into a war house.

**A/N: Like in the previous chapter, I used cannon characters so feel free to tell me if you think I screwed up. In fact any review would be welcome.**

**In other news Bioshock Infinite is out tomorrow. Should be good. New city, new destruction.**


	4. Chapter 3: War House

**A/N : Here is the next chapter. I still don't have any reviews so I'm going to asume that there are that many things wrong with this that you don't know where to begin.**

Chapter 3: War House

Ryan and Sullivan sat in Ryan's office. They were discussing a recent problem that Sullivan was about to "settle".

"And you're sure it's absolutely necessary to kill her?"

"Sullivan, If we're going to win this war we need support, support that is being turned away by Culpepper."

"But sir, this isn't some smuggler or a revolutionary. This is a woman who is simply stating her opinions."

"And her opinions are turning people to Atlas. No, she needs to be removed."

"But…"

"No more, Sullivan. Deal with it." Sullivan looked like he wanted to continue arguing but decided against it. "How is Mr. Richards finding his new team? They're satisfactory I hope."

"He seems impressed with their capabilities but he isn't so sure about their loyalty."

"Let me guess, Miss Morgan. Was it really smart to place him with her?"

"He needs to get over his personal hatred for Americans. Frankly sir, that's why I placed Noba with him as well, it will take a lot to place them in trouble."

"We're in big trouble Rich!" shouted Noba as another grenade landed near the entrance to the Pearl.

"Thanks for the update. I will be sure to file that under meaningless crap I'm well aware of." Damn, why is it that every time you put a gun in a kids hand they feel invincible? Also, why do they refuse to listen and decide to turn a nice easy job into a bloody shit storm?

After the initial shootout we got pinned down with no other way in. Of course, that meant that they had no way out either. One option was to wait for them to run out of ammo, but that could take a while and the longer we wait the more likely that they had reinforcements coming in. No, we needed to end this quickly.

Noba on the other hand didn't seem bothered by the turn of events, instead finding other things to be interested in. "You seriously have a file called that?"

"Just shoot these fuckers." I looked around the corner and shot another guard on the balcony. He was knocked to the floor but quickly got back up and started shooting. I ducked back and began reloading my revolver. Perhaps I should get that capacity upgrade after all. But, back to the matter at hand, "How many times do we have to shoot these guys?"

Brute was the one to respond. "Looks like they have Armoured Shell tonics, turns your skin as hard as iron."

"Iron or not, we need to get in there."

It was then that Alice spoke up. "I could try using Target Dummy sir."

"What the hell is Target Dummy?" Okay, now I'm just letting my temper get the best of me. This is why I shouldn't be a leader.

"Basically, it copies an image of me to where I want. It might give them something else to…"

"YEAH, HEADSHOT!"

"What the hell Noba?"

"Their skin may be iron, but their eyes aren't."

"No, I meant what the hell are you using a crossbow for?"

Sofia then interrupted the banter. "Can we please discuss this when we aren't getting shot at?"

"Right. Alice, do it. Everyone else get ready to move."

Alice's left hand began to glow and a silhouette of her appeared where her hand was pointing. Some of the enemies began shooting towards this new (and in their mind, threatening) opponent. One of the remaining members of team 2 tried to rush through only to get gunned down by those smart enough to focus on the real enemy, or dumb enough not to notice the decoy.

"Shit, there's still too much heat. We need some way to get in there and spread out." But how? If anyone tries moving then we will get slaughtered, and I would rather not end this fight in a bloodbath.

All of a sudden, a loud noise ran through the entryway. It sounded like the building was collapsing. Maybe those grenades did more damage then I thought? I looked at where the noise came from and saw Brute, and my jaw hit the floor. Brute was stood there holding a section of the WALL. He then stood in the doorway with this new "shield" and looked at me. "Orders, boss?"

After a few moments of silence I shook my head to get back to what classes as reality these days. "Right, okay then. Brute, use your shield halfway between here and the stairs. Sofia, Alice, stay here and prevent anyone from getting out. Team 2, take floor 1. Noba, you're with me on floor 2. Let's move people."

Brutus immediately moved to the halfway point in between the entrance and the stairs. He then placed the wall in the ground and held it.

"Team 2, move." The last two surviving members of the second team moved to the midway point. On my second signal they moved to the stairs and Noba and I moved to where they were. When they reached the first floor they cleared the balcony. We then moved to the stairs and met them at the top.

"Clear all the rooms. If hostiles are inside, kill them. Keep an eye out for anything that can turn a lead on Atlas."

"Yes sir." They both proceeded and followed orders. Looks like seeing the rest of their team die made them more serious in their work. Either that or they just got put with a fool as a leader in the first place.

Noba and I moved to the second floor. When we got there an enemy was already aiming his gun in our direction. On instinct I raised my weapon and fired. Fortunately, at that range a shotgun will always beat a tommy gun. Looks like iron still loses to a 12 gauge. I wonder what would happen if I used incendiaries. I'll see if Sullivan has any when we get back to base.

"Noba take the left doors."

"Sure thing."

We split up and moved to secure the floor. I opened the first door and saw someone holding a woman hostage, no doubt one of the many employees. Another man was stood to the side, holding a couple of meat hooks as weapons.

The one holding the hostage spoke first. "Put down your weapons, slowly."

I placed my shotgun on the floor. I then began to pull my revolver out slowly so I didn't cause alarm. The idiot has his head sticking out. I can make that. I quickly changed the way the gun was pointing and aimed at his head. Just then a meat hook came in view and knocked the gun. The gun still fired, but instead of killing the hostage taker shot him in the hand. He let out a cry of pain; the hostage broke free and ran out the room. I hope that the others don't shoot her.

The guy with the bleeding hand then just vanished in red mist while the guy with the meat hook charged at me. I quickly turned my gun in his direction, but he was too fast and knocked it from my grip. He then took a swing for my neck. I leaned back and pulled out my combat knife. My opponent didn't seem worried and casually walked over to pick up the meat hook he threw at me earlier. When he stood up I heard a noise behind me to see the guy who disappeared earlier reappear in the same mist. This time he held a fruit knife. This was going to be a tough fight.

Noba was being very carful clearing his rooms. He wasn't about to get killed for a stupid mistake. He had replaced his crossbow with his father's rifle and bayonet. Not great but better in these tight quarters. He was searching the last room for anything that might give them a hint as to what Atlas was planning. He then heard a noise behind him, but before he could turn around he felt something heavy hit him on the head. He was quick to his feet and looked at his attacker. The only thing he was concerned with was his weapon, a hammer. The attacker then charged at him.

I ducked as another blow from that fruit knife went over my head. I will never again underestimate a fruit knife a long as I live. Bloody thing had already slashed me three times. But the real problem was the guy with the meat hooks. He was fast and agile; he also knew how to use his chosen weapon. He then dropkicked me and sent me flying out the door. I landed on the balcony and looked in time to see them come out after me.

"Don't worry boss we got you covered." I heard Sofia shout. I looked and they both opened fire.

"Finish him. I'll take care of them." It was then that the one with the meat hooks leapt of the second floor balcony. On the way down he caught one of the hooks on the first floor then let himself drop the rest of the way.

I turned my attention to the guy with the fruit knife. He lunged at me and attempted to stab me in the stomach. I managed to deflect the blow and punch him in the face. He stumbled back and disappeared in that red mist again. I wish he stopped doing that. I looked down at the other fight and saw Brute grab the other guy and throw him out the entrance. He then went out after him. I then felt a force tackle me to the ground and fount the guy who I was fighting was now on top of me and brining his knife down. I managed to grab his wrist and we were both struggling to gain the upper hand. His head then burst into flames without warning. It was thanks to this that I was able to bring up my own knife and stab him in the throat. It was mercy to kill him quickly.

I the pushed his body off me and looked over the balcony. I saw that Alice had once again activated Incinerate, this time using it against the enemy.

"You okay sir?"

"Yeah, thanks to you" Looks like I was wrong to judge her.

"Anytime."

I moved back into the room where the fight took place. It was a wreck, but something that did catch my eye was an audio diary. One of the enemies must have dropped it in the fight. I picked it up and played it.

_Dr. Yi Suchong._

_June 27__th__ 1954_

_Today Suchong was approached by Frank Fontaine. He said Suchong had talents he needed to overthrow Ryan. This does not interest Suchong, however Suchong is interested in the opportunities he offers. He has acquired a new born and offers Suchong the chance to test ADAM mind control on the human mind. The only problem is that he wants to be the only one able to manipulate him. Perhaps a code is in order, something simple and used in conversation to prevent subject suspicion. Something like would you kindly._

The audio log ended. This meant that Suchong, one of Rapture's top scientists, was working with Fontaine from the start. Who else? How many others were working on this project? Was it successful, and if so who is manipulated? It doesn't matter. Fontaine is dead. Or is he? We never did find his body. No, if he was alive, then he would have acted by now.

I walked back out on the balcony, taking the audio diary with me. I will show Ryan it when we're finished here, maybe he can fill in the gaps. I checked the rest of the rooms on this side and found nothing. I wonder if Noba has anything. Noba!

"Noba where are you?" Silence. Not again, not now. I quickly ran to the other side of the floor nearly crashing into a member from team 2.

"Sir, all rooms are clear and we didn't find anything"

"Noba's not responding. He might be in trouble, let's go."

"Yes sir."

We reached the second last door with still no sign of Noba. We were about to move in when someone backed out of the room. He was quickly followed by Noba, who had his bayonet stuck in the other guys chest. He threw his victim over the balcony and looked at me. It certainly looked like he had one hell of a fight. The left side of his head was bleeding and it looked like he had a broken nose.

"I think I see why my father liked this in the war." He gestured to his bayonet and smiled.

Un-bloody-believable. Normally I would ask him to stop acting like an idiot, but after he said that I realised I didn't care anymore. "Did you find anything?"

"No, but there is one more room yet."

We moved to the room in question to find it locked. I spoke into the radio to address the whole team. "Does anyone know the code to Daniel Wales' office?"

Sofia was the one to respond. "No, but I might be able to hack it. Let me have a look."

Sofia arrived at the top and began tearing the casing near the lock. "Did Brute get that other guy?"

"No. When he got there, there was only a dent in the wall where that guy landed. Sorry sir." She began to move pieces of pipe around trying to connect a circuit it seemed.

"Don't worry. We'll see him again."

"Always next time, right?" The circuit was completed and some fluid ran from one end to the other. The door then opened and revealed Daniel Wales cowering behind his desk.

"Mr. Wales." I tried to speak as menacingly as possible. "Would you like to explain why you are assisting Atlas' rebellion, or should I just shoot you?"

"Now hold on a minute, lad." He tried to act calm but failed miserably. "Atlas isn't in charge, someone else is."

"Do you know who?"

"Even better, I have one of his recordings." I began to examine my shotgun in an unspoken threat. "Urm, feel free to take it, assuming I get to live of course." I nodded and he gathered an audio log from his safe. He then handed it to me. I played it without wasting a second.

_Frank Fontaine_

_October 27__th__ 1958_

That can't be right. He died before that, unless…

_It's done. Everyone now thinks I'm dead and now Atlas looks like a hero to the people. All I need to do now is let people get restless and then start the war. "Atlas" has certainly proved useful. He doesn't have all the bad smuggling connections that I have. All this time my reputation prevented me from pushing back against Ryan, and all this time all these poor saps needed was to see the same package under a different name._

The audio log ended but I didn't notice. All I could think about was one proven fact.

Fontaine was still alive.


End file.
